It is now just one win in the last seven home league games for Whitstable as the season moves towards its closing weeks. There were no goals for the 479 strong crowd to enjoy, although the game had its moments with both teams striking the frame of the goal, but nobody could finish any of the chances created. Whitstable started brightly and Liam Gillies hit the post in the opening exchanges. Further opportunities came and went for the home team before Rory Ward saw his volley hit the underside of the bar at the other end. Tunbridge Wells were the more effective team for the majority of the second half, having plenty of efforts on goal, but were unable to beat Jordan Perrin, so both teams had to settle for a point.

This was the third meeting between the teams this season, with Tunbridge Wells easing to a 3-0 win in the league fixture at Culverden at the end of September, but just two weeks later, a Josh Oliver hat-trick helped Whitstable to a 4-2 home win in the Kent Senior Trophy. Whitstable manager Marcel Nimani made a few changes to the team that was well beaten by Fisher the previous week with George Sheminant, Will Thomas and Josh Oliver back in the starting line-up, replacing Jake Mackenzie, the injured Ollie Gray and Tyler Anderson. Under 23 player Manny Cuttress was given a place on the bench.

There was an early scare for Whitstable when a long ball sent Matt Astle through on goal, but he was unable to get it under control and the defenders got back to clear. In the 4th minute, Harvey Smith battled for the ball in the penalty area and when his shot was cleared to Josh Williams, he fed Liam Gillies on the 18 yard line and his shot beat the left hand of George Bentley, but struck the post. A few minutes later, a Williams cross from the left was swept towards goal by James Jeffrey, but comfortably saved. Regan Corke then made good progress on the right wing before cutting in and shooting, but Jordan Perrin saved. Oliver chased a long ball down the right and sent over cross that was missed by the covering defender and reached Liam Gillies whose shot went just past the left post. Jeffrey then escaped the close attention of Siji Akinlusi and made a good run into the box, but his shot from a tight angle on the right was turned around the post by Bentley. Another Oliver cross was hooked just wide of the far post by Smith.

Tunbridge Wells almost took the lead in the 23rd minute when Astle crossed from the left and Rory Ward volleyed the ball towards goal and it beat Perrin, but hit the bar and rebounded down, just the right side of the line as far as Whitstable were concerned, and as it bounced up again Billy Lewins nodded it over the top. A Reece Gillies pass sent Smith into the box, but he was thwarted when about to shoot by a timely sliding challenge from Akinlusi. There were a couple of chances for the visitors just before half time. Trevor McCreadie laid the ball back for Ward who shot high over the bar, then Astle, out on the left, curled a shot towards the far corner that was well pushed away by Perrin.

Whitstable began the second half promisingly, despite making a mess of an early corner routine. A right wing cross was met by the head of Williams, but easily gathered by Bentley. A loose pass gave Corke the chance to race away, but he shot over the bar. A great left wing cross by Williams picked out Jeffrey who controlled the ball, but couldn’t beat Bentley. In the 51st minute, Lewins closed down Perrin and the loose ball ran to Corke who returned it for Lewins to shoot, but Perrin saved. The Whitstable goalkeeper was now the busier of the two and did well to push away a fierce drive by Ward. Whitstable then played themselves into trouble in their own box, but were relieved to see an offside flag although McCreadie steered the ball just wide anyway. McCreadie next played a one-two with Sammie McLeod before testing Perrin who made a double save, from his initial shot and then follow up header. In the 75th minute, Perrin collected a Tom Mills pass that was adjudged to be a deliberate back pass by the referee, but Nico Cotton’s shot from the free kick was cleared.

Several substitutions were made and Akinlusi earned the only card of the game from referee Amarachi Okamgba who had a good afternoon. Whitstable came back into the game somewhat towards the end as Anderson and Williams caused a few problems for the Wells defence, sending some dangerous crosses into the box, but apart from a Malachi Hudson shot that went just wide and a couple of shots that were well blocked by James White, Whitstable rarely looked like beating Bentley. In added time, the action switched to the other end, but Whitstable held firm with Mills making two well timed interceptions and the game ended 0-0.

Whitstable will need to quickly find some improvement in results to prevent their campaign drifting to a disappointing end and they have little time to wait before their next game, as they travel to play Welling Town in a rearranged fixture on Tuesday evening. Welling are currently bottom of the table, but earned a great draw at Glebe on Saturday and did win 3-2 at the Belmont in November.

Whitstable	Data	Tunbridge Wells
4	Shots on target	8
7	Shots off target	7
5	Shots blocked	2
4	Corners	2
13	Fouls conceded	6
2	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Jordan Perrin, Reece Gillies, George Sheminant (Manny Cuttress 86), Mikey Dalton, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Josh Oliver, Liam Gillies, James Jeffrey (Malachi Hudson 78), Harvey Smith (Tyler Anderson 65), Josh Williams.
Subs (unused): Jake Mackenzie, Josh Robson.

Tunbridge Wells
George Bentley, Dan Tear (Brad Austin 55), Nico Cotton, Sammie McLeod, James White, Siji Akinlusi, Regan Corke, Rory Ward (Jamie Shield 86), Trevor McCreadie (c), Billy Lewins, Matty Astle.
Subs (unused): Mo Alaka, Morgan Vale, Jack Walder.
Yellow card: Siji Akinlusi 79

Attendance: 479
Referee: Amarachi Okamgba
Assistants: Mitchell Jukes & Ismail Isik